Medical image processing apparatus and operation method thereof

Abstract

A medical image processing apparatus includes: an image acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of medical images; an image classification unit that classifies the medical images into at least one of a plurality of categories; an image display unit that displays, on a screen, at least one of the plurality of medical images based on a result of the classification as an automatically selected image; an input receiving unit that receives an input from a user to select an image requiring reselection as a key image from among the displayed automatically selected images as a selected image; and a display control unit that switches and displays, as a switching image, a non-automatically selected image other than the automatically selected image among the plurality of medical images classified into each category, instead of displaying the selected image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical image processing apparatus comprising a processor,
 wherein the processor is configured to:
 acquire a plurality of medical images; 
 acquire category information from the plurality of medical images; 
 classify the plurality of medical images into at least one of a plurality of categories based on the category information; 
 calculate image quality information for the plurality of medical images; 
 determine diagnostic usefulness of the plurality of medical images based on a result of the classification and the image quality information; 
 automatically select at least one of the plurality of medical images for each of the plurality of categories based on the result of the classification and the usefulness determination; 
 display the at least one automatically selected image on a screen, wherein the at least one automatically selected image is a candidate for a key image that is to be included in a report; 
 receive an input from a user to select an image from the displayed at least one automatically selected image which requires reselection as the candidate for the key image; 
 switch the selected image to an image other than the automatically selected image among the plurality of medical images classified into the categories, by taking into consideration the diagnostic usefulness of the plurality of medical images according to the categories of the automatically selected images; and 
 display the switching image instead of displaying the selected image. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to switch and display the switching image from the selected image according to the plurality of categories.   
     
     
         3 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to switch and display the switching image classified into the same category as the selected image.   
     
     
         4 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to:
 display, on a screen, a plurality of switching candidate images that are candidates for the switching image; and 
 receive a user input for determining the switching image from the plurality of displayed switching candidate images. 
   
     
     
         5 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the switching candidate images include images of the same category as the selected image.   
     
     
         6 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to take into consideration imaging conditions of the medical images in selecting the switching image from the plurality of medical images according to the categories of the automatically selected images.   
     
     
         7 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to take into consideration diagnostic usefulness of the medical images in selecting the switching image from the plurality of medical images according to the categories of the automatically selected images.   
     
     
         8 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to display each image by adding character or symbol information corresponding to the category.   
     
     
         9 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to change a display mode of each image according to the category.   
     
     
         10 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to display the switching image and the automatically selected image in different modes.   
     
     
         11 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive an input to approve each image to be displayed on the screen as the key image; and 
 display the images in different modes depending on whether or not approval has been received. 
   
     
     
         12 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to classify images using a trained CNN model obtained by training using an image group including a plurality of medical images.   
     
     
         13 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the category is information about a part of a subject.   
     
     
         14 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the category is information about whether or not the image includes a region of interest.   
     
     
         15 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the category is information about whether or not the image includes a treatment tool or about a type of the treatment tool included.   
     
     
         16 . The medical image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the category is information about a spraying state of a coloring agent or a dyeing agent in an image.   
     
     
         17 . An operation method of a medical image processing apparatus, the operation method comprising:
 a step of acquiring a plurality of medical images;   a step of acquiring category information from the plurality of medical images;   a step of classifying the plurality of medical images into at least one of a plurality of categories based on the category information;   a step of calculating image quality information for the plurality of medical images;   a step of determining diagnostic usefulness of the plurality of medical images based on a result of the classification and the image quality information;   a step of automatically selecting at least one of the plurality of medical images for each of the plurality of categories based on the result of the classification and the usefulness determination;   a step of displaying the at least one automatically selected image on a screen, wherein the at least one automatically selected image is a candidate for a key image that is to be included in a report;   a step of receiving an input from a user to select an image from the displayed at least one automatically selected image which requires reselection as the candidate for the key image;   a step of switching the selected image to an image other than the automatically selected image among the plurality of medical images classified into the categories, by taking into consideration the diagnostic usefulness of the plurality of medical images according to the categories of the automatically selected images; and   a step of displaying the switching image instead of displaying the selected image.